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Twitter user explains why #TakeAKnee is not disrespecting the flag

Ex San Francisco 49er player Colin Kaepernick sparked a movement by refusing to stand for the National Anthem, as a protest to inequality, racial injustice, and police brutality. #TakeAKnee was born, and this weekend was the largest show of support for a movement that seeks to shine a light on the injustices people of color face in this country.

There has been a lot of willful misunderstanding of the movement since it began. Those who wish to silence the protest seem to be using disrespect of the flag and veterans as the cornerstone of their argument about why sports stars should be forced to stand for the anthem. Let’s just think about that again: forced to stand for the National Anthem. Forced patriotism — that sure is American.

Never mind that scores of vets have come out in support of the movement — as have troops. Vets literally fought for our rights to peacefully protest; it’s one of the cornerstone tenets of America. Still, people who refuse to acknowledge that there is even a problem with racial inequality or police brutality continue to use arguments like “disrespecting the flag” as a reason sports stars should be forced to show their allegiance.

Twitter user HennyWise decided to point out what a ridiculous argument this is in a brilliant thread last week. In it, he breaks down the U.S. Flag Code, to illustrate that people who conveniently have a problem with “disrespecting” the flag right now, actually have no leg to stand on.

Since “disrespecting the flag” is still the narrative being used, this courtesy of the US Flag Code Chapter 10: Respect for flag